How do I get Thunderbird to import my contact information from a back-up drive location?
My Windows 7 desktop hard drive crashed, was using Outlook. All files were backed up onto a portable hard drive under a file header "Documents" which included all emails and contact information from outlook. Purchased a Windows 10 new desktop. Installed Thunderbird and can't seem to get Tbird to locate the files transferred to the new computer's hard drive. Thunderbird keeps wanting another email program to import from. All the data is there, just can't figure out how to get Thunderbird to look in the correct location!
Chosen solution
If you installed TB 60 on the old computer, then ran the Tools/Import wizard (not 'Import Everything'; do Mail and Address Books separately), and it worked, you could then transfer the TB data (Thunderbird folder) from the old to the new computer.
To import the csv file, I recommend you first edit it in Excel to organize the columns so they match the TB address book structure, then Tools/Import...Address Books...Text file...Files of type: comma separated... select the csv.
But the easiest, if it works, is to run the wizard on the old PC with Outlook and TB, then transfer to the new computer.
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Importing Outlook data to TB is a tricky maneuver at the best of times, but the import wizard only works if Outlook and TB are installed on the same computer. It won't work if just the Outlook 'data' are available, without a 3rd-party program. If the Outlook data are in a form that TB can import, e.g. mbox or eml files for mail, vCards or csv files for contacts, then it's possible.
Can you at least install Outlook on the new computer?
I attempted to download a version of Outlook, what I got was Outlook.com from Microsoft. I don't think it's a program on my computer as it shows up in my browser window. I checked the root directory and it doesn't list an Outlook program. Tried again, Thunderbird doesn't recognize Outlook.com.
I think you want to install the 30-day trial of Outlook that runs as a desktop application:
https://products.office.com/en-ca/outlook/email-and-calendar-software-microsoft-outlook
That is, if you can't install the Outlook you had on the old computer.
Outlook.com is the (separate) web-based email app, but outlook.com accounts can be set up in TB.
Did you have the Outlook program on the old computer or an outlook.com account?
Old computer Outlook-2010. Do not have a CD of Outlook, downloaded it from Microsoft back then. I can boot the old system but it's r-e-a-l-l-y slow to do anything. Was able to save the contacts as an .csv Excel file... but again TB wants a program and not a file...ugg! Wild thought... if I could USB connect both computers, would TB find it and capture the data onto the new computer? I'll try downloading the 30-day Outlook trial and see it that works. Thank you for the assistance.
Chosen Solution
If you installed TB 60 on the old computer, then ran the Tools/Import wizard (not 'Import Everything'; do Mail and Address Books separately), and it worked, you could then transfer the TB data (Thunderbird folder) from the old to the new computer.
To import the csv file, I recommend you first edit it in Excel to organize the columns so they match the TB address book structure, then Tools/Import...Address Books...Text file...Files of type: comma separated... select the csv.
But the easiest, if it works, is to run the wizard on the old PC with Outlook and TB, then transfer to the new computer.
Thanks... will give it all a try!!